Back to the Ocean
by finnicklover123
Summary: The ocean has always been his friend, his escape from a torn up family. Now all hopes of mending his broken relationship with his father are shattered as he is reaped for the 65th Hunger Games. He wins over an entire nation with his charm and his handsome face. But there is more to him than just a shameless flirt. This is the story of Finnick Odair.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So I suddenly got inspired to write a story about Finnick. He is my all time favorite character in the series and I have always been incredible fascinated by his story. Since I never knew what it was, I decided to make it up. This story is going to go from Finnick's Hunger Games all the way through Mockingjay if I get a good response. If not, I could be ending it sooner. Reviews make my day so please, please, please leave even a short review.**

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My trident slices through the air and curves downward into the clear water, piercing a large fish and pinning it to the shallow ocean floor. I smile as I retrieve both my trident, and my catch and add it to the growing pile on the sandy beach next to me. Today I have the beach to myself. No one is interested in swimming when the reaping is hanging over our heads but I try to get out of the house as much as I can. I hate sitting at home with nothing to occupy the hands that always want to be busy.

Ever since I was little, my father has taken me out to the ocean every day, teaching me how to fish, how to swim. Over the years, the ocean has become my home and, since last year, my escape. A little over a year ago, my mother drowned in the ocean. Since then, I've realized that the ocean is more than just a place to swim. It can be ruthless, cruel, it can destroy families with just one change in the current. After my mom died, my dad has refused to go back to the beach. He busies himself at home while the beach is still my escape. We've drifted apart in the last year just by not spending as much time together. It surprises him that, after what happened, I still go to the beach, without fear. I'm not sure why I am not scared, but I continue to try to get better at everything I do, whether it be fishing, making nets. Or swimming, always swimming, as if I am trying to conquer the waters that tore apart my family.

I glance at the sky and see the pink, orange, and red colors of sunrise. I curse under my breath and hurry to pack up my catch. I run through my district, sand still clinging to my body, and burst through the door of my house. I hear my dad in the kitchen making breakfast and I try to slip past him to go upstairs but, like all other parents, it seems like he has eyes in the back of his head and he notices me.

"At the beach Finnick?" he asks quietly.

"As usual," I say, sinking down in one of the chairs. I put my net of fish on the table proudly, "I caught some more today."

He just glances at them before returning to his task, "That's nice. Just store them with the others."

I sigh inwardly and take the fish over to the sink, where I clean them of the sand and saltiness of the ocean. Once they are clean, I fill another container with ice and place them carefully on it. It's been a while since my father has taken any interest in what I busy myself doing. I'd like to blame him for the deterioration of our relationship but I know that it was a two-person effort.

I eat my meager breakfast in silence, neither of us even attempting at a conversation. Finally, I can't take it anymore. I push back my chair and head to my room without another word.

I grab some clothes and go into the small bathroom that my dad and I share. I wash my face quickly and try to comb back my long, unruly, bronze colored hair, but as usual, it refuses to tame. Eventually I give up and pull on an old blue, button-up shirt. and jeans. I put on the nicest shoes I have, but they pinch my toes, making me feel even more uncomfortable. This year is my third reaping, and this year I've been forced to take out tessarae, which worries me a bit. My mom used to sell nets that she made to fisherman in the village. It didn't make us a ton of money, but it was enough that I didn't have to take out tessaae. I've been trying to convince my dad to start the business again but he doesn't want to, says it reminds him too much of her.

I hear a soft knock on my door and it opens to reveal my father, dressed in his best as well, "It's time to go Finnick." he says gently.

I stand quietly and head out of the room, with my father trailing closely behind me. No matter how weak our bond is, no parent wants to be away from their child on reaping day. We walk down to the square side by side. There are no words, but it is nice, a last moment of peace before the chaos of the reaping ensues. Just before I leave him to go to the fourteen year old section he grabs my arm.

"Good luck son." he says seriously.

"Thanks," I say. He lets go of my arm and gives me a smile. I smile back, "Don't worry about me dad. I'll be fine." reassure him before disappearing into the crowd.

I check in with the Peacekeepers then head to the roped off section dedicated to my age group. My friend Devan finds me quickly.

"You doing okay?" he asks.

I nod, "As good as I can be on reaping day I guess."

He chuckles, "Were you at the beach this morning?" he asks.

I nod again, "Of course. One last catch before I get reaped."

He punches my arm, "Come on. You're not going to get reaped."

I just shrug. I find it easier to prepare myself for the reaping if I come to terms with the fact that my name could be drawn. If I become content with that, then I am not as worried and the fear doesn't take over. However, it doesn't stop my stomach from rolling, nauseating me. Our escort takes the stage and a terrified silence falls over the huge crowd. Our escort's name is Celestia and she is dressed in an ocean blue cocktail dress with fake, colorful starfish sticking to it. Her hair is done up in an elaborate style and has streaks of blue in it too. We watch the mandatory video from the Capitol, all of us just waiting with bated breath for her to draw out those tiny slips of paper that determine our fates.

Finally she calls out, "It is time to select those special few that will represent our district in the 65th annual Hunger Games!" she struts over to the girl's bowl and pulls out a slip of paper, "Caia Burke!"

An older girl, looking about 16 or 17 walks up to the stage, pale but strong. Celestia asks for volunteers but no one steps forward. Usually the bulk of our volunteers come from males, not females.

She walks over to the glass ball that holds thousands of names. I know that inside that bowl, four slips of paper have my name on it. I can only hope that she doesn't pull one out. She opens the paper and time seems to slow down as she calls out, "Finnick Odair!"

Devan looks at me in concern but I ignore him. I push my way through the crowd and walk confidently up onto the stage. Celestia asks for volunteers and once again, no one steps forward, tearing my last hope of staying out of arena away. The Peacekeepers escort us into the Justice Building and I am shut into an extravagant room to await my visitors.

First my dad walks in, "Finnick," he says softly, tears in his eyes.

"Don't cry dad." I say. If he does, I probably will and I can't afford to cry right now.

He pulls me into a hug and I hesitantly hug him back, "You will come home." he says confidently, "I am not going to lose both of you."

His words send a pang of sadness through my heart as I put myself in my dad's shoes. He has just lost my mother a year ago and now he might lose his only son too. Not for the first time, I wish I had made more of an effort to repair our relationship.

"Don't worry. You'll see me again soon." I say.

He pulls away and nods, "I know. Son, I'm sorry if you feel like I've been neglecting you. I've just-"

I cut him off, "I know dad. It's okay." he grins, obviously getting a huge weight off his chest. Then the Peacekeepers come in again to take him away and I am left alone again. Not a minute later, the door opens and Devan bursts into the room.

"I told you." is all I can say.

He can't help grinning at me, "Why do you always have to be right?" he asks sarcastically, "Listen, when you're in the arena just make sure to get a weapon. There probably won't be a trident so get a spear. I f you do that, you should be good."

I nod, "I can do this Devan. Don't worry about me."

He pulls me into a short hug before the Peacekeepers take him away too. There are no more visitors for me but clearly Caia has a lot of friends because I have to wait for what seems like an hour before they can take both of us onto the train. My mind is too caught uo in other things that I barely notice the elegance and richness of the train cars. All I can do is sit there and look at my home, at my ocean slowly becoming a blur as the train picks up speed. As much as I tell myself I can do it, I still have my doubts but I am determined to get back to the ocean, back to my dad, and back to my home.

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**Okay, the first chapter is done! Next chapter will be the opening ceremonies and training will probably begin. The chapters will get longer as the story goes, this one was just a little short. I really hope you guys liked this and please leave a review. No matter how many reviews I get, I will always do review responses at the bottom of every chapter. So if you have any questions, they will be answered. And just to clear things up, Finnick's dad is not in the same condition as Katniss's mom. He didn't shut down or anything, he just had a different way of coping with his wife's death. he still spoke to Finnick and took care of him, their relationship just wasn't very strong. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it and please, please, please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while. School got in the way. I will try to update as frequently as I can now though. Thank you sooooo much to ionilove for reviewing. I know two more people followed this story so please, if I could get two reviews for this chapter? That would be awesome. Hope you guys like it!**

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"Finnick!" Celestia's shrill voice cuts through the silence of the train, "It's time for dinner!"

I groan and force myself to roll of the fluffy bedding of the tall wooden bed in my room. I haven't even met my mentor yet. As soon as I got on the train, I raced into my room to think. I've been going over scenario after scenario and, surprisingly, I think I might stand a chance at coming home. Of course I won't really be able to tell until I watch the replay of the reapings tonight.

I walk quietly into the dining room to meet my mentor. We have more Victors than most, but still less than the classic Career Districts, 1 and 2. Actually, we don't really consider ourselves a Career District. Being from District 4, we have the unfair advantage of growing up on fishing boats, around weapons like tridents and spears.

When I walk in, an elderly woman who looks about 60 stands and walks over to greet me, "You must be Finnick?" she questions. She has brown hair but it is graying and her face is kind, "You can call me Mags. I am your mentor this year."

I don't say anything, aware that I'm being impolite but not knowing how to react to this kind of kindness. I thought that once I got on this train, all sympathy for me would disappear but this woman seems to genuinely care about me. She stops waiting for me to respond and gestures for me to sit down. I do then question, "Where is Caia?"

She shrugs and says, "Probably getting acquainted with her mentor. Until we knew how you two wanted to train, we decided to keep you separate so you wouldn't have to reveal your skills if you didn't want to."

I nod, "Thanks."

There is silence for a minute as the Avoxes come in to serve us our food then she continues, "So, tell me about yourself." I give her questioning look and she laughs, "If I'm going to be your mentor I don't only need to know your skills. I need to know something about you so I can tell what angle we are going to go with."

I hesitate for a moment. Should I really tell this woman I just met about my life. I rarely talk about myself to anyone. I hate people pitying me but something is telling me to trust her. So I listen. I spill everything about my mother's death, my father's obsession with keeping himself preoccupied, and my daily escapes to the ocean. She listens patiently the whole time, occasionally throwing in a question and when I am finished she reaches over and pats my hand in a comforting gesture.

"I know this probably doesn't mean anything coming from an old woman like me but I-"

"Please don't tell me you're sorry." I cut her off.

She gives me a look telling me to hush, "I wasn't going to say that. I think you're incredibly strong for what you've been through and, even though it's a little too soon to tell, I think you're going to be a pretty tough competitor."

I allow myself to smile softly, "Thanks Mags."

She smiles, "I know what it feels like to not want pity. Everyone else in my family has passed away."

"Your children?" I ask carefully.

She shakes her head thoughtfully, "Never had children."

I nod, "So what's next? After we get to the Capitol I mean?"

She thinks for a moment then says, "Next are the opening ceremonies. From this moment on, whenever you step out into the public, your goal is to put on a show. If you can get people to like you, you're golden in the arena. If not..."

"I'm dead?" I fill in for her.

She chuckles but nods, "Without sponsors, you're on your own. Your prep team will help you with that though."

I groan. This trip is getting worse every minute. Suddenly, Celestia comes into the room with Caia and a middle aged man, who I assume is Caia's mentor. He is extremely tall with blonde hair and freckles due to the constant District 4 sun.

"The reapings are about to air. Everyone in the living room, now!" Celestia orders us. It's becoming increasingly clear that she enjoys being the center of attention.

We file into the living room quietly and sit down. I end up seated in between Mags and Celestia. The reapings begin with the classic Career Districts, 1 and 2. One produces a boy with salt and pepper hair and an arrogant grin and a gorgeous girl who steps up batting her eyelashes, obviously putting on a show already. Their names are Jason and Reina. From two, the name is barely called out before someone volunteers, a huge boy with dark hair and a ruthless face named Ethan. The girl steps up next, another volunteer with a coy smile on her face. The rest of the districts go by, none very memorable. 12 least of all, with its malnourished crop of tributes. Again, I am further reassured that I at least have a chance at winning. The only people I'm worried about are District 2.

We head to bed without further comments, all of us exhausted. I lay in my bed, running over the reapings in my head. I think of the sly smile on the District 2 girl's face and a chill runs up my back. I would not want to be left in a room alone with her, no matter how small she is. I toss and turn in my bed for hours before getting up and heading back out into the train. I sit by the window wordlessly, watching the open land outside blur past, the sky streaked with stars. It would be a pretty sight if the train wasn't speeding me towards impending death.

The next thing I know, someone is shaking my shoulder. I open my eyes and bright sunlight pierces them. I guess I fell asleep by the window.

"Finnick. We're about to pull in to the Capitol." Mags says, a concerned look on her face.

I nod, get up, and groggily walk to my bedroom. I put on a button down shirt that I find in the closet and dress pants. Mags said I have to put on a show, I might as well look my best. I desperately try to comb down my unruly hair and once it is somewhat manageable, I head back out to get my first glimpse of the Capitol.

White. That's the first word that comes to mind. The whole Capitol is white and gleaming as if every building had just been polished. In sharp contrast to the buildings, the streets have candy colored stone pavement that wind in, out, and between the buildings so many times I wonder how the residents don't get lost trying to navigate them.

I hear Caia breathe out a sigh of admiration next to me. I don't think I ever realized just how rich the Capitol must be. And yet, they spend their money on the upkeep of their gleaming city instead of the starving children of the outlying districts. My disgust with the Capitol increases.

Celestia is suddenly there, ushering us off the train and into the screaming crown, gathered to get a glimpse of the newest District 4 tributes. I step out of the train and am momentarily blinded by not only the sunlight but the cameras. There are cameras flashing everywhere. I remember what Mags said: From the moment I step out of the train, I need to put on a show.

I flash a smile to the cameras and the screaming intensifies. I continue down the line of people with Caia, Mags, and Caia's mentor smiling brightly and occasionally winking. The crowd, especially the girls are going crazy. We get to the end of the line and escape into a car with blacked out windows that will take us to the training center for opening ceremonies. Mags gives my hand a squeeze.

"Good job." she whispers to me. I just nod, feeling slightly sick.

We reach the training center and I am brought to an all white room to await my prep team. When they finally do arrive, I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing. The man who walks in has shaved his entire head except for two long locks of hair towards the front of his scalp and his beard is styled as well. One of the girls has bushy, bubblegum pink hair and purple lips. She is dressed all in pink too, even her shoes. The other girl has her hair pinned in a complicated style with a headpiece as big as her actual hear perched precariously on top. She has also added fake, gold eyelashes that are so long that every time she blinks, they touch her cheeks.

They introduce themselves and get to work immediately bathing me in something sticky, cutting my hair, and just overall primping me. When they are finished, a man who I assume is my stylist comes in. He is short and fat, with dark red hair and bushy eyebrows.

"You must be Finnick!" he says energetically. I nod, not knowing how to respond to this. "Your prep team did a great job. The girls are going to be going crazy over you my friend." he says confidently, patting me on the shoulder. He disappears from the room and comes back with fabric spilling out of his arms. I get dressed and turn to look in the mirror.

I am honestly surprised at my transformation. The material of the costume is what the Capitol considers "ocean blue" and has a scaly texture, almost like they were trying to combine the ocean and fish. It does not however, include a shirt. I guess the prep team wanted to show me off as much as possible. I am pretty strong due to hours spent out of the house, running, swimming, fishing. My hair is lying flat and my eyes are shining green. Maybe my stylist is right and the girls will like me. That's a good thing isn't it? That will get me more sponsors.

"What do you think?" he asks, waiting for my reaction.

"It's nice." I say, "I think it will get me a lot of sponsors."

He beams in pride and leads me out to see Mags who fusses over me almost like a mother before leading me into the training center where the chariots are. I am one of the last ones to arrive as the ceremony is about to start. I glance around at the other tributes. The Careers are all talking by the District 2 chariot. I look at Mags questioningly but she shakes her head.

"Not yet. Try to join them in training, not here." she says.

I nod and head over to my chariot. Caia is standing there in a dress made out of the same scaly material and her makeup is sparkling blue, bringing out the blue in her large eyes. When she sees me walk up, she blushes.

"You look nice." she says, her cheeks a dark red.

I nod, "Thanks, so do you." that makes her blush harder.

We get on the chariot and, with a lurch, it starts moving out into the Capitol. I do my best to play the crowd, waving, smiling, winking, almost as if I am flirting with the audience. The girls really are going crazy. They are chanting my name, throwing roses, blowing kisses. I am overcome with a rush of confidence as the chariot stops and President Snow stands to make the speech.

For the first time, I feel like I am ready. Let the Games begin.

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**Yay! Chapter 2 done! I spent a long time in that so I hope you guys like it! Remember, I respond to every review so if you have any questions, please ask. **

**Review Responses:**

**ionilove: Thanks! I'm glad you think it will be good and I hope chapter 2 lived up to your expectations!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I know it's been a little while but I updated my other fanfictions last night and by the time I was done, I didn't have time to update this one too. I hope you guys like this third chapter and can I please get two reviews for this one? :) Enjoy!**

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"Finnick?" Mags calls, rapping sharply on my door, "You have training today. You need to get up."

I sigh, "I'm coming." I hear her footsteps fading away down the corridor and get out of bed. I barely got any sleep last night because of the nightmares and my eyelids are heavy. I brush my teeth and comb down my hair, which is much easier to manage now that it is cut shorter. I put on the training outfit that the automatic closet provides for me and head down to breakfast.

"So what's your strategy today?" Mags asks as I dig into a plate of pancakes.

I shrug, "Get in with the Careers?" I ask, my mouth full of food.

Mags smacks me on the back of the head and I wince, "Stop talking with your mouth full." she says strictly, "Is that it?"

I swallow, giving her a pointed look and say, "I don't know. I don't really want to show anyone what I'm good at. Not yet anyway."

She nods, for a moment lost in thought, "I agree. Don't give away your talents just yet. Save that for the Gamemakers and the arena. Try learning something new."

I chuckle, "I'll probably get kicked out of the Careers for making an ass of myself.

She shakes her head, "They know you got a good reaction at the opening ceremonies last night. They'll want the sponsor money even if they don't want you. Besides, they'll want to keep the classic Career image of 1, 2, and 4.

"Okay." I push my chair back from the table and stand up, "Wish me luck." I say.

I head to the elevator, meeting up with Caia who blushes as soon as she sees me, avoiding my eye. I raise an eyebrow at her but she just shakes her head and looks away. We ride down to the training center where a couple tributes are milling around looking at the equipment provided in the center. A woman who introduces herself as Atala calls us all into a circle when everyone arrives and explains to us the rules of being in the training center. When she releases us, I head straight over to the Careers, trying to make it look like I belong there without even asking.

Jason, the guy from two shoots me a curious look but after a moment, shrugs his shoulders and walks over to me.

"So 4, how old are you anyway?" he asks, the other Carers hovering behind him, Caia included.

"14," I say simply.

He whistles softly, "We don't usually let in people so young. Consider yourself lucky you impressed the crowds last night or you would just be another tribute with a target on their back."

"I'm capable of more than just charming a crowd you know." I say with a smirk.

"Let's hope so." Jason says, "Otherwise you won't last long with us."

He smirks at me then turns to the rest of his little group and instructs them to go to stations that they are good at. He wants them to show off. He wants them to intimidate the other tributes as soon as possible. Too bad I don't play like that. I head to the knife throwing station doing as Mags instructed and trying something new. I'm not as bad I thought I was going to be but I still made an ass of myself.

Reina, the District 1 girl comes over, chuckling, "I thought you were capable of something else 4?" she sneers at me.

I grit my teeth, "I am. I just choose not to flaunt it like the rest of you cocky Careers." I know I am testing my limits with statements like this but I guess they'll find out just how much they really need me.

Her jaw tightens and her face clouds over with anger, "Watch it 4. You're on thin ice already. You don't want to crash through." she stalks off, flicking her long blonde hair behind her shoulder as she goes.

I chuckle to myself and head to the spear throwing station instead. Devan is right, there probably won't be a trident in the arena but I know there will be spears. It's the closest I have to my best weapon so I might as well become proficient at it in the little time I have.

The first few times I throw, I miss the mark completely. But as I find the right size spear for me and get used to how it is held, I find that it is not that dissimilar to a trident after all. It takes some getting used to but eventually, I am constantly hitting the target. Not always dead on in the center, but close enough that I have attracted the attention of Jason again.

He wanders over, analyzing my skills, his dark eyes following the spears as they leave my hand until they hit their mark.

"Maybe you could be of some use to us 4." he says approvingly.

"Thanks, that means a lot." I say sarcastically.

He chuckles, "You might want to watch that mouth of yours. You already managed to get on Reina's bad side and it's not even lunch."

"Yeah, well sorry if her opinion of me isn't my top priority right now." I say pointedly.

He shrugs, "It doesn't have to be. She's not much of a threat anyway but trust me, I am." On that pleasant note, he leaves me to my spear throwing which I work at contentedly until lunch.

I eat with the Careers where they discuss boring strategies about the arena. Or at least the guys are talking about that. The girls are too bust staring at me and it's honestly making me uncomfortable. I'm not used to this kind of attention. No girls were ever interested in me at home and from the way these two are fawning over me, I'm almost glad. Reina just looks at me with disgust until eventually she gets up from the table and heads back into the training center early. After lunch, I take a break from weapon training to focus on survival skills. I know the Careers are probably laughing at me right now but I know the Careers are going to end up splitting up and when they do, I want to be ready. They are overly arrogant and it's going to catch up with them if they aren't careful. They say they want to go down fighting but that would be hard to do if they died from eating a poisonous berry.

At the end of the day, I head back upstairs, tired, but content. I did what Mags instructed at least. I'm in with the Careers, I tried something new, I just need to keep this up until my private session so I can show everyone what I'm really made of.

"How did training go?" Mags asks when we get back to our floor.

I shrug but Caia says, "Great! Finnick is fitting in so well with the Careers. And he's amazing with spears."

Mags looks like she is trying not to laugh, "Good, I'm glad he's doing well." Caia suddenly blushes and leaves the room, embarrassed. "It seems you've got an admirer." Mags says slyly.

I pretend to gag, "No thanks. I've barely talked to her. I don't know why she's acting like that."

Mags laughs, "You don't understand. You didn't have to do anything. You know how to play a crowd, with the winking and the charming smiles and then of course looking like you do, if you play it right you could have to whole Capitol backing you in the arena."

I look at her in shock, "They don't even know what I can do! You're saying they would sponsor me based solely on my flirting with the crowd."

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Many times, the Capitol citizens are only interested in looks. The normal citizens don't care about the scores. They want the one with the prettiest face to come out the Victor. I'd say on those terms, you're in pretty good shape." she says, smiling at me.

I head to my room quietly that night, thinking about what she said. I've been so focused on my weapons that I've forgotten the main appeal of the Hunger Games. It's a television show. If you don't put on a good show, they'll want to change the channel. In this game, your skills are less than nothing to the Capitol people. They want someone with good looks who knows how to play the audience. If they can fight, well then that's an added bonus. I am now capable of both of those things. No wonder the Careers can't afford to let me go. Once the Games start I'll be rolling in sponsor money. But that means I have to commit to this show. I have to make the women of the Capitol fall in love with me just by standing up on a stage. My game begins now.

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**Okay I know it was a little short but I have to study for a big test tomorrow so I hope you liked it anyway. And remember: 2 reviews please?**

**Here is a response to my reviewer last chapter:**

**Guest: Thank you! Glad you are looking forward to reading more. Sorry if the wait has been a little long for you. I will try to update as much as possible. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I know, it's been like two weeks. I feel awful for not updating but I kind of got in trouble for my grades so I haven't had any time to write. I do have a long weekend coming up next weekend so I will update a few times during that time. This chapter will finish up training and the private sessions. Hope you guys enjoy it and maybe we can finally get two reviews for this chapter? Please!**

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"Finnick!" I hear Caia call, disturbing my focus. I curse as my spear grazes the dummy's shoulder and impales itself in the wall next to it.

I turn slowly, trying to control my anger. She's been doing this the past two days, constantly by my side, craving for my attention. The worst part is that I can't escape her when training is over like I can with the other tributes because she follows me around our floor. I try to be happy about that though. It means I'm playing my part well. Each day, Mags tells me she has gotten more sponsors, each day the Gamemakers take more and more notice of me. Once more on the down side, the Careers are getting jealous. They shoot me glares whenever the Gamemakers nod in approval at my skills but they can't afford to lose me so they keep it civil when I am nearby.

I walk over to Caia calmly, "What do you need?" I ask, trying to conceal the annoyance in my voice.

"I was wondering if you could help teach me how to use a trident."she says, batting her eyelashes, "I know you're good. I've seen you back in 4."

I raise an eyebrow in surprise. I didn't know she took any notice of me back home but clearly I haven't been being very observant. As to her question, I don't really know how to answer. I really shouldn't turn down helping her because, after all, she is my District partner. But I don't want to reveal how good I am with a trident. Ultimately, it is my own survival that matters most.

I shake that thought out of my head quickly. I can't let them take me over. I can't let this _game_ control my actions. She is m district partner and she needs my help. Besides, our private sessions are later today and once the scores come out, everyone will see how good my abilities are anyway.

"Sure." I say, giving her a smirk. She blushes but I ignore her and pick up the trident. I talk her through the basics but I don't really think she is listening. I demonstrate a couple times, relishing the familiar feel of a trident in my hand again as I skewer the dummy straight through the heart three times in a row. I notice that I have gained a few people's attention so I stop quickly.

"Like this?" Caia asks. She throws the trident across the room and it pierces the dummy in the stomach. Not hard enough to stick bu hard enough to severely injure someone. I nod and she beams gratefully, for once not focusing her efforts on flirting with me.

"Hey 4!" I hear Jason call, as he strides over to me. He grabs my arm and yanks me roughly away from Caia into the corner of the training center.

"You didn't tell me you could use a trident." he says accusingly.

"So?" I ask.

"We're allies." He says, "And above all, Careers. We need to intimidate the others."

I scoff at him, "Haven't you guys already done that enough. The older ones already feel threatened and the younger ones are scared out of their wits. I don't think you need any help in that category. And I'm sorry if I didn't want to flaunt my skills for everyone to see. I'll save that for my private session."

I walk away without another word. I know I am pushing it here. I can only go so far before my faults outweigh my benefits and they make me their enemy. But I ate watching them scaring the younger tributes. I mean, I'm only 14 so they are practically my age and if I wasn't in the Career group myself, I'd be scared to death. It's one of the many reasons that those from District 4 hate considering themselves Careers.

At lunch, I continue to sit with Careers but remain silent. Every time I look up, Jason is eyeing me but not fully with anger. This surprises me. He look almost interested in me, as if he is deciding what to do with me. I don't like it. I glance back down at my food, my appetite gone but still slowly picking at it to avoid glancing up at him again. After lunch, Atala takes all of us to a large room off the side of the training center. It is dimly lit with a row of benches lining both of the walls. I take a seat and wait. Every time a person's name is called, the pit of dread in my stomach grows. When Jason's name is called he stands and gives the rest of is a cocky grim before stepping into the training center. Finally, I hear the woman's voice call my own name. I stand slowly and walk into the training center. I am immediately met by the gazes of the gamemakers. At this point in the day they are not so inebriated as to not pay attention to me. By the time the last group of tributes enter this room however, they will not be able to keep their focus, resulting in lower scores. It's one of the advantages our district has.

I head over to the fishing station and make a couple nets and show off my knot tying skills. While limited, they are still more than most other tributes can do. Then I go to the trident station. This is where I feel at home again. I completely forget that the Gamemakers are watching and just let myself go. When I am finished I look up at them again and see that they are staring at me with a look of awe on their faces. I guess they didn't think a 14 year old would have that much experience. They dismiss me quietly and I head straight back up to my floor. I guess my efforts paid off well though because when the training scores come out, I see that I got a 10. An impossible score for someone of my age, even in the classic Career districts.

Mags congratulates me then says that we have to start discussing our interview strategies.

I chuckle, "My strategy has already been made clear for me Mags." I say, "I just have to flirt with them."

Mags hits me in the arm, "Don't get cocky now. This game changes a lot of people. Don't let yourself be one of them."

I smile at her, "Don't worry. I'll be fine Mags." I walk down the hall to go to my room but as I do, the elevator door opens and Jason steps out.

"Nice job on your training score 4." he says.

"What do you want?" I ask him.

He chuckles, "My mentor says you are taking in a lot sponsor money. You're lucky."

"How?" I ask.

"You don't fit in with us 4." he says.

I cock my head in mock surprise, "Oh, you mean I don't revel in killing these kids just to win glory in my own district?"

He whistles softly, "Watch it. If you didn't have that sponsor money, you would be my number one target. Just stay out of my way and I won't try to kill you."

Without giving me a chance to respond, he ste3ps back into the elevator. I keep going until I get to my room and collapse on my bed. Mags is right. I'm getting too cocky. I can't let these Games change me. Before I fall asleep, I make a promise to myself. I am going to come out of these Games the same Finnick that went in or I will die there. They won't change me. They won't.

* * *

**Yay! I finished another chapter! I'm sorry for the super long wait! Maybe for this chapter , I can get two reviews? **

**Here is a response to the review from last chapter: **

**HGF34567: Awwwww! That's so nice! I'm glad you are enjoying it and I'm sorry I made you wait so long for a new chapter. **

**Please review guys! I will respond to all of them!**


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